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Hi, I'm Maryanne
I'm a Mormon. I was born into the church. Strayed away for 10 years but happy to be back on the path of righteousness.
About Me
I am a mother of 4 children and a step. I was born in 1980. I am married to a non-member. I am a stay at home mom. I am studying to be a herbal ayurvedic doctor. one of my goals in life is to find the truth in all things.
Why I am a Mormon
First I was born into the church. and that is where I started........................................................................
But. as a teenager I left the church (became inactive) for about 10 years. I did everything under the sun.............................................................................................................................
But slowly I started thinking about what I believed. was I being true to who I really was? I decided that though I had grown up in the church I really didn't have a testimony of it for myself. I had never read any of the scriptures all the way through. I knew the stories but that was about all..................................................................................................................
so I started with the bible. and immediately I saw that there were things that simply didn't make since.... if Adam and Eve were the first people and Cain and Able were the first children... Where did the city of Nod come from? and his family and servants? and the people he was afraid would kill him?.... then I was shocked to find out that Noah was not on the boat for only 40 days, but more like 13 months. .......................................................................................................................................
Looking to find flaw with the Bible and to be able to simply dismiss it, I wrote down the Genealogy from Adam to Noah to see if anyone had lived after the flood and wasn't on the boat.... but no. they were all dead, so that was good..................................................................................................................................................................
really wanting to know what the church said about these biblical discrepancies, I invited missionaries over, I had many questions for them, and proved to be a difficult challenge. but the missionary that came one day had been a Jew before being converted to LDS. and he KNEW his bible. and he showed me the answers to my questions were contained mostly in the Doctrine and Covenants and in the Pearl of Great Price. Two books I had never read more than a few passages in. finding that the church had the answers was great, but that wasn't enough.................................................................................................................................................................................................................
I coincidental about this same time was working at a Catholic church, as a born LDS it was quite interesting to discover the inner workings of a catholic church. to write the sermons for the priest, and the subtle differences between what was willing to be taught and what was believed. I love those people so as not to disrespect them I will only give a small example of what I mean. during our weekly meetings the priest and laymen would complain about the way people were dressing at church, and the complete disrespect and inappropriate attire I would ask why not give a sermon on appropriate church clothes shows our love for God. but NO they were afraid to cause any discomfort to their members, and would allow the members to dictate what was to be taught. and mostly for fear of Money loss.
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anyways I had a wonderful chance to study another church besides the LDS, and I was able to talk with a former Jew about why he converted. and I continued to wonder about the inner workings of the mormon church. the more I searched the more I agreed with the Gospel of the LDS church.
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I have read the Bible, the Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, a great deal of Mormon & Joseph Smith History. I have also read the Quran, the Bahagala Veda (sp), the Yogi Philosophy, the Book of Enoch, a great many Apocryphal books both those in the Catholic Bible, and those not found there. the Kolbrin Bible, the Magical cottage, the celestine prophecy, the church of Scientology . and many many other religious and pseudo religious texts. amd I continue to read and study all that I can find.
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after reading and studying many of these books I came to a conclusion. that EVERY SINGLE ONE of these books had some basis of truth in them. some more than others. but the LDS church had the most truth.
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My mom, had told me once a quote from someone she couldn't remember who, had said, that the churches in the world had the gospel and how much they had was like a piano some churches had a few keys some had many, but no matter how you played those keys they simply didn't sound quite right, good, but not perfect. but the more I listened to the gospel of the LDS church the more I realized that it had all of the keys or at least way more than any other church I had found.
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so after a great deal of repentance and life style changes and struggles with my husband who didn't want me to change my ways. I found my way back to my path of righteousness.
It is still a struggle sometimes, to live the way I know that i should. but I KNOW that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the most true church available in the world today. I also know that Jesus said to John and James that if they are not against us, they are for us. and there are many wonderful Christian people in this world doing the best with what knowledge they have, and are ready for.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
I also know that the church leaders are led by God. I have witnessed this personally. I also know that we are each entitled to individual revelation, and that God can and will reveal to us truth if we ask for it, and are willing to hear the answer.
Personal Stories
Please explain the part prayer plays in your life?
I am not very good at remembering my personal daily formal prayers. ........................................................
That being said..........................................
I do pray always. ......................................
As a family, before I go anywhere I pray with the kids to help us to get home safely. at every meal we tell God how grateful we are to have food to eat, that animals have sacrificed their lives for our tummies, and every night we as a family talk to god in prayer telling him our thankfulness our desires and pleas for blessings on us and our family/friends.
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but as an individual I somewhat rather keep the "God line" open. as I go about the day and I am concerned about something I simply talk to God in my mind in an informal prayer. as I question something again I turn to god. and I know that God knows my deepest sincerest desires that I cannot put to words even in my mind, but he knows. When there are times of greater need or I am greatly distressed I turn to the more formal prayer on my knees in the privacy of my bedroom. either way I know that God answers my prayers. in his time and according to his will. but he does answer them.
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an example of my prayer experiences...........................................................................................
I felt the need to move. I began my search, was generally led to a specific area to move to, I found several homes that would fit our families needs and were great locations. I prayed that if it was God's will we would be approved for the home we applied for. time after time we were denied, without a fault of our credit or history. so I continue to pray that God would lead me to the right home, and that we would get approved for the right home according to his will. finally I came across a rental listing for a home just like what I have wanted my whole life. a mid 50's ranch style with over an acre lots of room for garden and kids. a well and a creek, and plenty of sq footage. and withing 2 miles of my mom and grandmother. but we are poor and I didn't think I could afford such a house.
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but as it turns out, the whole time I was being denied everywhere else. the homeowner was dropping the rental rate trying to find someone willing and able to care for the property as well as rent the home.
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When I came to see the home for the first time. I knew it was the right one. I told the landlord on the spot I wanted to apply. and without a credit check or a hassle I was approved and now live in the home of my dreams and we can afford it as a stay at home mom and my husband as a blue collar laborer.
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I know that because I was willing to work WITH God and his will asking to be approved only if it was his will...that he gave me the home of my deepest desires. that was also big enough for our family to grow, which of course it did.
How I live my faith
As a mother of 4 children under 8. my main focus right now is in raising my children to know the gospel. getting them ready for baptism.......................................
We attend our church meetings every Sunday. The children love to be at church. and I love to be surrounded by my church family. since my husband is not a member, it is a difficult task to take my children to sit in a pew for an hour especially since one of them is 8 months old and another 2 yrs. but the members are both understanding and helpful. many other mom's and dads offer help even a few regulars who sit behind us every Sunday to help watch the kids if I need to take the baby out for a minute...................................................................... I have had callings in the past. Genealogy consultant, volunteered in the Family History center. primary teacher (teaching the children in Sunday school).
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